Improvement of energy efficiency of the Water Authority of Jordan

Project description

Title: Improvement of energy efficiency of the Water Authority of Jordan (IEE)Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB)Country: JordanLead executing agency: Water Authority of JordanOverall term: 2008 to 2014

Context

The secure supply of energy, reliable water supply and the fight against climate change are closely interlinked in Jordan. For instance, the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) is the country's largest electricity consumer and requires about 15 per cent of all electricity produced. This is not only expensive; it also leads to the emission of significant amounts of greenhouse gases since Jordan's power supply is based almost entirely on fossil fuels.

Objective

The energy efficiency of water pumping stations has improved. New operator schemes have been developed and implemented for sub-contracting the operation of pumping stations. Using private capital and donor funds, investments have been made in pumping stations and booster stations.

Approach

Energy audits to identify energy consumption in the water sector were conducted in the three governorates of Balqa, Madaba and Zarqa. Measures were also developed to reduce energy consumption. To ensure implementation of these measures, GIZ worked on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) to assist in developing innovative operating models and support their completion.

This model of best practice is to be scaled up and introduced nationwide. As far as possible, these approaches rely on the private sector's operational expertise and investment capital, for instance when modernising and operating pumping stations.

Results achieved so far

The pilot pumping stations have reduced their energy consumption by more than 30 per cent, resulting in annual costs savings of EUR 150,000 for WAJ. Greenhouse gas emissions have likewise fallen by more than 30 per cent. This translates into a savings of 27,000 tonnes of CO2 over the lifetime of the pumping stations. Energy efficiency standards for procuring new pumps were also improved, resulting in long-term reductions in costs and CO2. The staff of WAJ is now better trained and better aware of energy efficiency in operating pumping stations.

At the water sector level, concepts and legal documents have been drawn up that govern the involvement of the private sector in financing and operating the pumping stations (referred to as energy performance contracting). Introducing contracting established a new market in which specialised energy management companies work together with traditional water companies to advance the modernisation of the water sector.

Potential savings of more than 42,000 MWh were identified in the process of expanding activities. This equals potential annual savings of more than EUR 3 million in energy costs for WAJ. Based on these findings, technical measures to reduce energy consumption are currently being implemented for water infrastructure. The success of these measures demonstrates that taking care of the environment and the climate can also have economic benefits.